Vance Headlines Budapest Campaign Rally For Prime Minister Orban

Vice President Vance made a surprise phone call to President Trump during a rally in Budapest on Tuesday for the prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban.“I love Hungary and I love that Viktor,” Mr. Trump told the crowd of thousands as Mr. Vance held the phone up to a microphone.“I wish you a lot of luck and love you all,” Mr. Trump added to the cheering crowd.Mr. Vance is on a two day visit to try to boost Mr. Orban’s chances to win reelection.“I’m not telling you who to vote for,” Mr. Vance told the crowd before lavishing praise on Mr. Orban.Mr. Vance earlier told reporters in Budapest that President Trump is a “dear friend” of Mr. Orban and a “very strident supporter” of him “because together the president of the United States and the prime minister of Hungary have been able to do amazing things.”Mr. Orban’s future is on the line after 16 years of increasingly authoritarian rule and he has trailed in the polls to moderate-right challenger, Peter Magyar. Voters will go to the polls on Sunday to elect the country’s 199-member parliament, which elects the prime minister.This is the biggest election test Mr. Orban’s Fidesz party has faced since rising to power in 2010 with a commanding parliamentary majority. Mr. Orban consolidated political power through constitutional and election law changes, the Atlantic Council claims.Mr. Magyar has promised to push Hungary back toward its Western partners and pull back from supporting Moscow. Hungary has not provided support for Ukraine in its fight against a Russian invasion.“I want to help the prime minister as much as I can as he faces this election season,” Mr. Vance said.Mr. Vance pointed his finger at the European Union claiming it was trying to interfere in the election to help defeat Mr. Orban. The vice president claimed the “bureaucrats in Brussels” have done what they can to “hold down the people of Hungary” because they don’t like the prime minister.“Victor Orban is going to win the next election in Hungary,” Mr. Vance told reporters. “I feel very confident about that.”President Trump has praised the Hungarian leader’s opposition to immigration and has given the country an exemption from American sanctions on Russian oil and gas. Domestic issues have dominated the lead-up to the election with a struggling economy and concerns over corruption powering Mr. Magyar’s campaign.Mr. Vance is the second high ranking American official to travel to Hungary to support the prime minister. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited in February and offered praise for Mr. Orban.

Vance Headlines Budapest Campaign Rally For Prime Minister Orban

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